Revenge
by ThreeOfWands
Summary: Morgana is angry and hurt after being poisoned by someone she had once considered a close friend. What she needs is revenge. And what better way than to return to Camelot and plot his ruin by breaking his heart. (M/A)


"I thought he was my friend!" Morgana wailed for about the eightieth time that morning.

Morgause rolled her eyes. She hadn't expected her sister to be this whiny. The witch was seriously beginning to regret saving Morgana from the hemlock.

"I trusted him!" Morgana declared histrionically. "And he betrayed me! Sister we must exact our revenge!"

Morgause sighed. At least plotting some nefarious murder would keep her kid sister occupied. Morgause had important old-religion-y high priestess-ness to do, people to kill, kingdoms to conquer. She really didn't have time to baby-sit Morgana.

"I know! I'll break him from the inside. Merlin used to have this cute little crush on me! I'll string him along and break his heart!"

Morgause nodded, already zoning her out. "Excellent idea, sister. You go do that."

Morgana began pacing the spacious room in the ruined castle they were currently staying in. "This means I have to return to Camelot. Let them find me, they'll think I got away from you. Uther will welcome me back with open arms. Yessss."

Morgause personally thought Morgana was a bit mad. She didn't see the point in all this sneaking around. What was the point? Morgana might as well just stab the boy or poison him back, it would lead to the same end anyway. Playing with his heart to get revenge would just be a waste of time. Morgause shrugged. If Morgana wanted to put in all that effort, she certainly wasn't going to stop her.

* * *

Merlin dodged all the busy servants scurrying though the halls laden down with trays or laundry. He had been suspicious immediately when Morgana turned up again so soon. The words of Gaius and the dragon rang through his mind, "Don't trust the witch." Yet at the same time, he wanted to see her and apologize for what he did.

Merlin knocked on Morgana's door and Gwen's kind face answered. She had been so happy when her mistress returned safe and sound.

"Hey Gwen. Do you mind if I talk to Morgana for a minute?"

"Of course Merlin." Gwen flashed him a smile. "I'm headed to the kitchen anyways." The servant girl bustled out, humming a cheerful tune.

He rapped his knuckles gently on the doorframe. Morgana's head snapped up in surprise.

"Merlin!" She seemed unusually flustered. Merlin realized with a pang of guilt that he was the reason why.

"My lady," he began carefully. "I'm happy to see you back."

"Thank you Merlin," she said tremulously. "It's good to be back in Camelot."

"How are you feeling? I mean…" He didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry!" Merlin blurted out. "I'm so, so sorry for doing that to you, but I didn't have any other choice! They were going to kill Arthur and the King and…" He took a shaky breath. "I'm sorry Morgana, I still have nightmares about it and if there was any other option, I would have taken it. You were one of my closest friends, you still are, if you'd have me. I regret having to betray you like that. And…"

Morgana got to her feet and made her way to Merlin's side. She embraced him silently. "Oh Merlin," Morgana finally whispered. "I've missed you."

* * *

Mary was on her way to the laundry room, her arms draped with dirty sheets. She walked by Lady Morgana's room and caught her hugging a servant. It wasn't any servant, it was Prince Arthur's manservant. Her mind started racing with all the implications. Was Morgana having an affair with him? She couldn't wait to tell Louise and Rowena what she'd seen.

* * *

Once Merlin left, Morgana slumped at her vanity. It was going to be hard to hate Merlin when he was so earnest and eager to be friends again. Then again, that made it easy to make him fall in love with her.

Morgana wracked her brain. For any normal man, seducing him would be easy – a few sultry looks and revealing dresses and he'd be sold. But Merlin might take some more work. He always seemed so virtuous, never ever taking even one little peek at the cleavage flashed at him by the milkmaids. Come to think of it, Merlin had never seemed to have any less-than-honorable intentions toward anyone.

The king's ward groaned. This was going to take more work than she'd expected. Maybe she'd ask Gwen to help her with it later.

* * *

Merlin tried to sneak into the room quietly and failed miserably.

"Merlin!"

"Oh hi, Arthur," he said casually. "Didn't see you there." Merlin glanced around, probably making sure everything throw-able was out of his reach.

Arthur stalked towards him. "And where have you been?"

"I went to see Morgana."

"Yes and what did you forget to do?"

"Um." The idiot actually had to think about it. "Did I forget to…"

"You never brought me my breakfast, you dimwit!"

"Oh! Oh yeah."

Arthur stepped even closer, trapping his servant against the wall. "What am I going to do with you?"

Merlin, the cheeky bastard, licked his lips and whispered in the prince's ear, "You'll have to punish me, sire."

Arthur couldn't argue with that. He grabbed the nape of Merlin's neck and pulled him into a kiss.

* * *

Gwen had noticed a change in her mistress since she came back. Morgana was a lot more reserved and often distant. And she was spending an inordinate around of time around Merlin. Not that there was anything wrong with that, Merlin was a great guy, but she'd never shown interest in him before. _And_ the little voice in her head piped up _it's like she's replaced you with Merlin._ It was a ridiculous thought and Gwen was able to silence it fairly quickly.

She glanced out the window. There it was again! Merlin was sitting by the practice field watching the knights' training. Morgana had sidled up to him and was just about sitting in his lap. Gwen had never seen her being that brazen before, not even when the admittedly very handsome Prince Everett had visited. Merlin, the oblivious country boy he was, didn't seem to mind. He chatted with her happily while polishing somebody's helmet.

Arthur, on the other hand, had taken notice and looked murderous. If he weren't such a gentleman, the prince would have likely run Morgana through with his sword by now.

* * *

Arthur was so pissed, he could hardly concentrate on sparring with Sir Gareth. What was Morgana playing at, flirting with his Merlin like that? And with the same token, what on earth was Merlin doing, letting her fawn over him?

He drew the line when she started petting Merlin's hair.

"Merlin!"

He hopped up with that guileless look in his eyes and how could Arthur get mad at him when he looked like a baby forest animal? But that didn't stop the prince from feeling a vindictive sort of pleasure seeing Morgana, who had been dislodged, sprawled on the ground. Of course Merlin had to pull a noble stunt and help her up.

Arthur knew it wasn't princely to seethe, yet he could almost feel steam coming out of his ears. And his traitorous knights. They had the nerve to stand there and look amused. _Amused_. He made a note to get back at those imbeciles later. Arthur shoved his sword at one of the squires and grabbed Merlin by the arm, effectively dragging him away from that witch Morgana. He'd show his servant who he belonged to.

* * *

After Merlin was rudely taken away from her by Arthur, Morgana decided to enlist Gwen's help. On her way back to her rooms, she heard voices. Morgana followed the sound to a hidden alcove where she found her brother and his manservant furiously necking.

Oh. Well that changed things. How had she not seen this coming? Some seer she was. All the time they spent together, Arthur's prattish possessiveness, and that old-married-couple banter… The whole castle must have known before she did. For gods' sakes, even Uther must have figured it out by now. Morgana froze when a thought occurred to her. Was she losing her touch?

She shook her head. What did it matter? All it meant was that she needed a new plan. Morgana considered leaving them alone and letting Arthur muck it up on his own, as he was wont to do, if all of his past relationships were any indication. But that was no fun. Or Morgana could sabotage them and break Merlin's heart just like she'd set out to do. Yes, that was an excellent plan. Morgana slunk off to scheme in her room and practice her evil laugh.


End file.
